The doha–chaupai structure
A chalisa typically opens and closes with one or two dohas (a rhymed couplet meter) framing the forty core verses, composed in chaupai meter (four-line verses with a consistent rhythmic count). The Hanuman Chalisa follows exactly this pattern: an opening doha, forty chaupais, and a closing doha — which is where the "forty" in its name comes from.
The Hanuman Chalisa
Composed by Tulsidas, the Hanuman Chalisa praises Hanuman's strength, devotion to Rama, and protective power, recounting episodes from the Ramayana along the way. It's one of the most widely recited devotional texts in India today, chanted for courage, protection from difficulty, and removal of obstacles — commonly on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the days traditionally associated with Hanuman.
Other well-known chalisas
The Durga Chalisa praises the goddess Durga in her protective and power-related aspects, recited especially during Navratri. The Shani Chalisa is addressed to Shani (Saturn), often recited by those going through a challenging Shani-related planetary period, such as Sade Sati, as a devotional counterpart to astrological remedies. Ganesh Chalisa and Shiv Chalisa are also widely recited, generally at the start of an undertaking, aligned with those deities' associations with removing obstacles and new beginnings.
How a chalisa differs from a mantra
A mantra is typically a short, fixed formula repeated many times (japa); a chalisa is a longer narrative-devotional hymn, recited once — or a set few times — per sitting, that tells a story or lists a deity's qualities and deeds rather than repeating a single phrase. Many devotees do both: a short mantra for daily repetition, and a chalisa recited fully once a day or on the deity's specific day.